← Years 5–6 Creating Digital Solutions

Describing how a system satisfies a user's need

A good discussion names the user, then their need, then the feature that meets it, and ends with the reason it works. Starters like 'The system helps because...' can help.

Part of: 5-6 Digital Technologies Vic Curric - Creating Digital Solutions — Module 74, 7-8 Digital Technologies: Evaluating digital solutions — Module 10, 9-10 Digital Technologies: Evaluating solutions, impact and innovation — Module 12, QCE Digital Solutions Unit 1 — Understanding Digital Problems — Module 27

Understanding Describing how a system satisfies a user's need in Years 5–6 Creating Digital Solutions

What it does: It names the user (Mia), then the need (remember homework), then the feature (reminder alert), then the reason (it pops up on her tablet). Partners can build a full answer together. Taking turns and filling in missing parts makes sure all four parts are covered.

Common mistakes: The reason must explain how the feature meets the need. Being cheap has nothing to do with reading text. It should say something like 'It helps because text is big'. The user must be a person, not a thing. A school bell is not a user. It should name Ava, who is deaf.

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Free printable worksheet with full answer key — or add this module to a class and your students practise it interactively.

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This module's key terms are also in a printable crossword (Modules 61–74) and word search (Modules 41–74).

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Learning
Duo
Which order is best when you explain how a system meets a need?
Reason, feature, need, userUser, need, feature, reason
Matches
The reminder alert helps because it pops up. Mia needs to remember her homework.
↓
The parts are in the wrong order. The feature and reason come before the user and need.
Applying
Meanings
Term
user, need, feature, reason
Meaning
A good discussion names the user, then their need, then the feature that meets it, and ends with the reason it works. Starters like 'The system helps because...' can help.
Practice
User: Mia is a Year 5 student.
Testing
Gaps
: Mia
Check Answer
Spots
3Feature: a zoom button
4It helps because it is cheap

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Quick Questions

1. Which order is best when you explain how a system meets a need?
A. Reason, feature, need, user
B. User, need, feature, reason ✓
A good discussion starts with who the user is, then their need, then the feature that meets it, and ends with the reason it works.
2. Which sentence starter helps you give the reason a system works?
A. The system helps because... ✓
B. My favourite colour is...
'The system helps because...' leads you to explain why the feature meets the need. That is the reason part of the discussion.
3. Which is a complete discussion of how a system meets a need?
A. The app is really cool and has lots of buttons and colours.
B. Mia has trouble reading small text. The app has a zoom feature, so the system helps because she can make words bigger. ✓
The first answer names the user (Mia), the need (reading small text), the feature (zoom) and the reason. The second names none of these.
4. Which part of a discussion names the feature?
A. The app has a read-aloud button. ✓
B. Sam needs help with spelling.
A feature is something the system has or does. 'Sam needs help with spelling' tells us the user and the need, not the feature.
5. Which sentence gives a reason the system works?
A. The timer helps because it reminds Jo when to stop. ✓
B. The timer is red and round.
A reason explains how the feature meets the need. Describing how something looks does not say why it helps.

Match the Pairs

The system helps because... → A sentence starter that begins the reason part of a discussion
user, need, feature, reason → The four parts of a good discussion, in the right order
A full discussion that follows the right order → Mia needs to remember her homework. The reminder alert helps because it pops up on her tablet.
A reason that explains why a feature meets the need → The big text helps because Sam can read it without his glasses.
The reminder alert helps because it pops up. Mia needs to remember her homework. → The parts are in the wrong order. The feature and reason come before the user and need.
The app is good because it is fun. → It does not name the user, the need or the feature, so the reason does not link to a need.

Key Term

user, need, feature, reason
A good discussion names the user, then their need, then the feature that meets it, and ends with the reason it works. Starters like 'The system helps because...' can help.

Fill in the Blanks

1. User: Mia Need: to read the screen easily Feature: a zoom button
Hint: Type the label for the person who uses the system. It comes first in a good discussion.
2. User: Mia Need: to read the screen easily Feature: a zoom button
Hint: Type the label for what the user wants or must be able to do.
3. User: Mia Need: to read the screen easily Feature: a zoom button
Hint: Type the label for the part of the system that meets the need.
4. Zoom helps Mia because text gets bigger.
Hint: Type the sentence starter word that introduces the reason it works.
5. Need: to read the screen easily Feature: a zoom button Reason: the text gets bigger
Hint: Type the label for the last part, which explains why the feature works.

Spot the Error

Question 1
A User: Sam, who has low vision
B Need: to read text easily
C Feature: a zoom button
D It helps because it is cheap
Line D — The reason must explain how the feature meets the need. Being cheap has nothing to do with reading text. It should say something like 'It helps because text is big'.
Question 2
A User: a school bell
B Need: to know when class ends
C Feature: a flashing light
D It helps because she sees it
Line A — The user must be a person, not a thing. A school bell is not a user. It should name Ava, who is deaf.
Question 3
A User: Tom, who is learning
B Need: to hear words aloud
C Feature: a spell check tool
D It helps because it reads text
Line C — A spell check tool does not meet Tom's need to hear words aloud. The feature should be a read-aloud button.
Question 4
A User: Lena, who loves maps
B Need: a GPS arrow on screen
C Feature: spoken directions
D It helps as she hears each turn
Line B — A GPS arrow is a feature, not a need. The need is what Lena wants to do: find the way home.
Question 5
A A: Who is the user?
B B: The user is the app.
C A: What does she need?
D B: She needs to find books.
Line B — The user is the person who uses the system, not the system itself. It should say 'The user is Zoe.'

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